Electoral Commission: Leave

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission for how many days each year the Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission is released or is entitled to take leave for service on the board of the Basildon and Thurrock Hospital Foundation Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the chief executive is allowed up to five days paid leave a year for service as a non-executive director of the trust, provided that there is no adverse impact on the performance of his duties at the commission. The chief executive does not receive payment from the trust for his services.

Electoral Commission: Pay

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what the salary or salary band of the Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission is.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that in 2009-10 the salary of the chief executive of the Electoral Commission is £121,800.

Welsh Language

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish before 9 December 2009 all correspondence his Department has received on the Welsh Language Legislative Competence Order other than from Welsh Assembly Government Ministers and officials.

Peter Hain: The correspondence the Wales Office has received falls into two broad categories. First, the responses received to my predecessor's call for views on the proposed legislative competence order. Those responses which could be made public were sent to the Welsh Affairs Select Committee and the First Minister, copied to the National Assembly for Wales Committee that scrutinised the LCO, on 14 May 2009, and I will place copies of that correspondence in the Library of the House.
	Second, correspondence received either before or after the call for views. This includes:
	some 300 e-mails from members of the public seeking a swift publication of the Welsh Affairs Committee report. The vast majority of these were a standard text;
	correspondence from members of the public and Welsh language bodies. This totals some 37 letters and e-mails;
	some eight items of correspondence from parliamentary committees or committees of the National Assembly for Wales, or from individual members of those committees; and
	some 10 letters from businesses or their representative bodies.
	We have not sought the permission of these respondents to publish their correspondence, and to do so would incur disproportionate cost. Releasing correspondence from businesses and their representative bodies would also prejudice commercial interests.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cheques under the Single Payment Scheme have been issued by the Rural Payments Agency for less than  (a) £60,  (b) £40,  (c) £20,  (d) £10 and  (e) £1 in each year since 2001.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of Single Payment Scheme (SPS) cheque payments issued by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) for the bands and scheme years specified in the question are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of payments 
			  Band  SPS 2005  SPS 2006  SPS 2007  SPS 2008( 1) 
			 £40.01 to £60.00 4,356 2,417 807 299 
			 £20.01 to £40.00 4,920 1,861 492 122 
			 £10.01 to £20.00 1,812 546 69 14 
			 £1.01 to £10.00 639 80 14 3 
			 £0.01 to £1.00 58 2 6 3 
			 (1) A change in EU regulations meant that RPA stopped making payments by cheque on 15 October 2008. All payments are now made via BACS. 
		
	
	Payments for the 2009 SPS scheme year only began on 1 December so we cannot provide equivalent figures at this stage.

Badgers

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the relocation of badger setts resulting from the development of land for homes.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA is not responsible for the policy on determining licences for the purpose of development under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992; this falls to Natural England. However, DEFRA has an agreement with Natural England that it will consult DEFRA if a proposed licensed operation might pose a TB risk. Licences for development can only be issued for interference with badger setts; this is normally by closing down whole or part setts. The taking of badgers, and therefore translocation, for the purpose of development is not allowed under the Act.

Biodiversity

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of species which became extinct in England in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We have not made an annual assessment of the total number of species that have become extinct in England in each of the last 10 years. In the 2008 UK Biodiversity Action Plan reporting round, seven priority species were reported as having been lost from England in the last 10 years. Natural England is currently carrying out a systematic review of species extinctions in England which is due to be published in March 2010.

Biofuels

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate the carbon savings resulting from the growing of biofuels on land which had previously been  (a) used to grow food crops and  (b) set aside or unused; and if he will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: I have been asked to reply.
	Currently there is no agreed methodology for accurately accounting for the emissions from land currently used for food production, or set aside, if displaced by biofuel production. As such, the guidelines for reporting under the Renewable Transport
	Fuels Obligation do not account for these emissions.
	Under the recently adopted Renewable Energy Directive, the European Commission is required to review the impact of indirect land use change from biofuel production on green house gas emissions and if necessary, come forward with a methodology for addressing ways to minimise that impact by the end of 2010.
	The Department for Transport has commissioned the development of an indirect land use change methodology through expert stakeholder input and will be making its findings available to the Commission in order to feed into the above-mentioned review.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science: Shipping

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science was of operating the CEFAS vessel Endeavour in 2008-09; what estimate he has made of this cost in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11; how many days the vessel was at sea undertaking research in 2008-09; and what estimate has been made of the equivalent number of such days in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table sets out details of the number of days at sea for the CEFAS Endeavour in support of CEFAS managed projects.
	
		
			  Financial year  Days at sea 
			 2008-09 (1)273 
			 2009-10 (2)284 
			 2010-11 (3)275 
			 (1) Completed. (2) Committed. (3) Forecast. 
		
	
	The days at sea figures shown do not take into consideration the time required for mobilisation and demobilisation of scientific equipment before and after each scientific campaign (approximately 40 days per annum). They also exclude the time associated with essential vessel maintenance (approximately 20 days per annum rising to 40 days per annum where scheduled dry docking is required).
	Sea trips are increasingly planned to integrate a number of projects with objectives which can be achieved during the same campaign. This typically requires 24 hour operations, so maximising the scientific returns from a single day of sea time.
	The annual cost of operating the CEFAS Endeavour include vessel operations and management, technical support, capital charges, fuel and costs and allowances for CEFAS staff on-board the vessel during scientific campaigns. The annual services agreement to operate and maintain the vessel was recently let via open competition with a six year contract signed in March 2009. The agreement is subject to terms of confidentiality, hence annual budgets are not included in this response.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science: Shipping

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many days the CEFAS vessel Endeavour was  (a) made available by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and  (b) used by other organisations during 2008-09; and what estimate has been made of the number of such days in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The CEFAS Endeavour is available 365 days per annum for the scheduling of sea trips. Schedule planning must allow time for non sea going activities such as mobilisation, demobilisation and planned maintenance. These non sea going activities require between approximately 60 and 80 days per year.
	The CEFAS Endeavour programme in 2008-09 was 100 per cent. dedicated to CEFAS managed projects and no chartering of the vessel to other organisations took place. The committed programme for 2009-10 is also 100 per cent. dedicated to CEFAS managed projects with no chartering of the vessel to other organisations planned. The forecast programme for 2010-11 is based upon the same premise.
	CEFAS managed projects are undertaken on behalf of a range of customers such as DEFRA, the Marine Environmental Protection Fund (MEPF), JNCC and Natural England. In addition, on a project basis, visiting scientists, observers and organisations collaborating with CEFAS (for project delivery) will also be present on the vessel.

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms there are in nitrate vulnerable zones in each region of England; and what the  (a) size and  (b) location is of each such farm.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The partial impact assessment accompanying the August 2007 consultation on the implementation of the nitrates directive in England estimated the number of farms in the NVZ in each region of the UK on the basis of 2005 agricultural census.
	
		
			   Number 
			 North East 1,078 
			 North West 15,144 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 14,980 
			 East Midlands 20,431 
			 West Midlands 20,350 
			 Eastern 22,777 
			 South East 20,328 
			 South West 24,514 
			 Total 139,601 
		
	
	Details of the size and location of each farm could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Poultry

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of turkey sales in the UK was of domestically produced birds in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA does not record information on Turkey sales in the UK.

Sewers

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what  (a) consultation he has undertaken and  (b) representations he has received on the proposed transfer of drains and sewers to water and sewerage undertakers in England and Wales.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In July 2003 DEFRA published the Review of Existing Private Sewers and Drains in England and Wales consultation paper that sought views on a range of strategic options to deal with the problems of private sewers. The Government published a response to this consultation in October 2004. 81 per cent. of stakeholders favoured a change of ownership, and of these, 90 per cent. held the view that sewerage undertakers should take over responsibility. DEFRA acknowledged the strength of support for this solution and undertook to look at it in more depth.
	Subsequently, representatives of 50 stakeholder groups were invited to a private sewers seminar in January 2005. This included a workshop looking at the potential impacts on small businesses. DEFRA undertook a telephone survey of over 130 drainage contractors to identify the potential impacts of any transfer on them and also commissioned qualitative customer research to investigate customers' potential views on transfer to water and sewerage companies.
	In February 2007 the Government published their decision paper and committed to consult on options for the implementation of transfer. A consultation paper on implementation options was published in July 2007 and Hilary Benn announced on 15 December 2008 the Government's decision to proceed with transfer from 2011.
	Copies of the 2003 and 2007 consultation papers and the Government's 2004 response to the review were placed in the Library of the House on publication. A Summary of Responses to the 2007 Consultation on Implementation Options was published in March 2008 and is available from DEFRA.
	Further consultation on the content of regulations to implement transfer will be published this winter.
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has received representations from a range of interested stakeholders during the course of the Review. DEFRA continues to consult with key stakeholders through working groups and meetings in developing proposals for implementation.

Sheep: Conservation

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department has provided for the protection of the Herdwick indigenous sheep flock in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In 2001, DEFRA granted £10,000 to create the Heritage Gene Bank which was set up to preserve semen and embryos from breeds considered to be at-risk due to the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak of the time. The Herdwick was one of the breeds considered to be at-risk because the majority of its breeding population were in or near to areas heavily affected by FMD.
	DEFRA recognises the need to have a long term view on managing the genetic health of our livestock breeding population and the need for a co-ordinated effort to support initiatives that will encourage the characterisation, conservation and utilisation of our livestock genetic resources-which includes rare, mainstream and heritage livestock breeds. The National Standing Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources is currently advising Ministers on implementing the UK's national action plan on farm animal genetic resources which was published in 2006.
	In England, from next year, the use of hardy native sheep breeds will be one of the factors contributing points towards eligibility for payments under the new Uplands Entry Level Stewardship Scheme. Although not confined to Herdwicks, those with Herdwick sheep may be able to gain benefits under the scheme which will thereby provide indirect support for the breed.

Waste Disposal: Hazardous Substances

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what definition his Department uses of  (a) toxic and  (b) hazardous waste; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Norris: Hazardous waste is defined by reference to the European Commission's definition of hazardous waste which is based on the list set out in EC Decision 2000/532/EC. Essentially hazardous waste displays one or more of the hazardous properties set out in EC legislation at above specified thresholds and which may cause harm to human health or the environment if not managed in an appropriately controlled manner.
	Toxicity is one of the properties that may make a waste hazardous. Toxic substances and preparations are those which, if they are inhaled or ingested, or if they penetrate the skin, may involve serious acute or chronic health risks or even death.

Water: EU Law

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the water industry of meeting the water quality targets contained in the EU Water Framework Directive.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The most recent estimate of cost to the water industry across England and Wales of achieving water quality targets determined under the first planning round of the Water Framework Directive is £174,000,000. This includes £117,000,000 in one-off costs and £57,000,000 average annual costs over the six years of the first River Basin Management Plans from 2009-2015.
	These figures include the costs of investigations which are essential to progressing work within the future planning rounds of the Directive.

Capita

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any contracts between Capita Group plc and his Department have been cancelled before completion since 1997; and whether Capita Group plc has been liable for any penalties arising from failings in the administration of contracts since 1997.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO), including its arms length bodies and the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland but excluding its agencies and NDPBs, has no record of any contracts awarded to Capita Group plc since 1997.
	The NIO departmental disposal policy states that records of contracts do not have to be held longer than six years and financial records seven years. Central Procurement Directorate (CPD) records go back to 2001. No records are available beyond this year.
	The information provided is based on contracts which have been conducted through the NIO central procurement unit prior to November 2003 and the Department of Finance and Personnel's CPD since November 2003.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criminal offences have been  (a) abolished and  (b) created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since 1 May 2008.

Paul Goggins: The primary legislation made by the Northern Ireland Office since 1 May 2008 which abolished or created criminal offences is as follows:
	The Sexual Offences (NI) Order 2008, implemented in February 2009, reformed the body of law on sexual offences. The order contains all criminal offences in relation to sexual offending behaviour. Articles 81 and 83 and schedules 1 and 3 to the order list the old offences which were repealed and article 5 abolished the common law offence of rape.
	The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, made in May 2008, created nine new offences. Articles 52, 53, 65(6) and 91(4) contain four new driving-related offences; article 68 created one new offence in relation to alcohol consumption in designated public places; and the remaining offences relate to prison security. Article 71, a single offence of assisting or permitting a person to escape from lawful custody has replaced the separate offences of rescuing, or assisting or permitting the escape of, a person sentenced to death or for life, and rescuing or assisting or permitting the escape of other prisoners, formerly in sections 29 and 30 the Prison Act (NI) 1953. Articles 77 and 78 create offences in relation to conveying articles into or out of prison. This replaces the offences of conveying spirits or alcohol or other articles into prison (formerly in sections 34 and 35 of the Prison (NI) Act) with a more extensive prohibition. No offences were repealed by the order.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost to his Department was of the provision of office facilities to  (a) special advisers and  (b) press officers in the 2008-09 financial year.

Paul Goggins: Northern Ireland Office (NIO) special advisers and press officers are located alongside other NIO staff in a number of buildings. Rent, rates and utilities, etc., are charged on the basis of the entire building and the cost of specific areas of the building or accommodation for groups or individuals within the building could not be separated from the overall running costs of the entire building.

Iraq Committee of Inquiry

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what position each official in his Department seconded to the Iraq Committee of Inquiry held between January 2001 and December 2003; and for what matters each was responsible in each such year.

Paul Goggins: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, the right hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Tessa Jowell) on 3 December 2009,  Official Report, columns 974-75W.

EU Law

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what EC legislative instruments including provisions on criminal law, which apply to the UK, and are in force or are due to come into force have been adopted on the basis of provisions of the Treaty establishing the European Community other than those in Title IV of Part Three of that Treaty.

Claire Ward: I have been asked to reply.
	Two legislative instruments containing criminal law provisions in the first pillar were adopted under the provisions of the treaty establishing the European Community other than those of Title IV of Part III of the treaty. Directive 2008/99/EC on the protection of the environment through criminal law was adopted on 19 November 2008. The instrument is in force and the deadline for transposition is December 2010. The amending directive 2005/35/EC on ship source pollution and on the introduction of penalties for infringements was adopted in March 2009. The instrument is not yet in force.

European Union: Fines

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial penalties the Government has paid to European Union institutions in the first six months of 2009.

Chris Bryant: The UK has never incurred a financial penalty for failure to comply with an European Court of Justice judgment under Article 228 (ex Article 171) of the treaty establishing the European Community.

Departmental Consultants

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many external consultants work for his Department.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not hold the information centrally and it could be provided only by incurring disproportionate cost. However, following a search across the Department's Human Resources systems, it is know that 146 external consultants work for the Department.
	The following table provided a breakdown of the number of consultants:
	
		
			   Number of consultants 
			 Department for Transport Central 95 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (1)40 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 0 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 10 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 1 
			 Total 146 
			 (1) The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency figure only includes the number of consultants appointed through their Consultancy and Interim Management Services (CIMS) Framework Agreement. The total number could only be provided at disproportionate cost. 
		
	
	The Driving Standards Agency, Highways Agency and Marine and Coastguard Agency could provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.

Railway Stations: Greater London

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much funding has been  (a) allocated to and  (b) spent on each railway station located within Greater London as part of (i) wave one and (ii) wave two of the Access for All strategy in (A) 2006-07, (B) 2007-08 and (C) 2008-09; and how much funding has been allocated for each such station under each wave for each year from 2009-10 to 2012-13.

Chris Mole: Stations in the programme were announced in three lists with indicative delivery time scales but are now part of a detailed delivery plan which is a live document owned by Network Rail.
	There are 35 stations in London boroughs, representing a third of the total programme, included in the programme and current the anticipated cost for these is £121.1 million and current funding spent is £49.3 million.
	Information on actual spend and future years' forecast spend for individual sites is held by Network Rail and not the Department for Transport. I suggest the hon. Member therefore contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to her questions:
	Iain Coucher
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	Kings Place
	90 York Way
	London N1 9AG

Road Traffic: Tyne and Wear

Jim Cousins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 303W, on road traffic: Tyne and Wear and of 4 November 2009,  Official Report, column 250W, on transport: Tyne and Wear, when he expects to receive the report of the Tyne and Wear Transport Innovation Fund's work and outcomes; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Sadiq Khan: holding answer 2 December 2009
	Tyne and Wear received pump priming funding from the Department's Transport Innovation Fund (TIF).
	While the Department discussed with Tyne and Wear authorities the option for providing further resources for the completion of a formal report on the outputs, it was concluded that a business case for TIF funding was unlikely to be supported.
	The Department has continued to work with the authorities in making full use of the outputs, including the Tyne and Wear model, an Urban Traffic Management Control system and Smarter Choices initiatives. These outcomes have informed the development of the Tyne and Wear authorities' transport policies, including Local Transport Plans and will inform the development of proposals resulting from the recently announced Delivering a Sustainable Transport System (DaSTS) Study.
	Further details are available on Tyne and Wear's People in Motion website at:
	http://www.tyneandwearltp.co.uk/core.nsf/a/ltp2_documents

Natural Environment Research Council

Julian Brazier: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what grant the made from the joint infrastructure fund to VT Ocean Sciences as a contribution towards the costs of the research vessel Prince Madog; and what such funding is expected to be provided in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11.

David Lammy: The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) awarded one £2.8 million Joint Infrastructure Funding (JIF) grant in 1999 to contribute to the capital cost of the research vessel Prince Madog. NERC has not provided any other capital funding and there is no planned capital funding for the vessel.

Post Office

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much subsidy the Government plan to provide to the Post Office after 2011.

Patrick McFadden: No decisions have been taken beyond the current settlement, but the Government are committed to supporting the non-commercial segment of the post office network beyond 2011 and is in regular dialogue with Post Office Ltd.

Scientists

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on how many occasions the Secretary of State has met  (a) the Government Chief Scientific Adviser and  (b) his Department's Departmental Chief Scientific Adviser in the course of his official duties in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: My noble Friend the Secretary of State met the Government chief scientific adviser on 30 July and has met his Department's chief scientific adviser in the course of various departmental policy discussions over the last 12 months.

Banks: Government Assistance

Peter Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of each signed share subscription agreement between his Department and each bank in respect of public funds.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The placing and open offer agreements, and preference share subscription agreements, for the recapitalisation of RBS, HBOS and Lloyds were deposited in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament on 18 November 2008.
	I have today placed copies of the placing and open offer agreements relating to the redemption of the Government's, preference share holdings in RBS and Lloyds, dated 19 January 2009 (RBS) and 7 March 2009 (Lloyds), in the Libraries.
	In addition I have today placed copies of the documents relating to the Government's upcoming subscription to Lloyds' rights issue, and to Lloyds' withdrawal from the Asset Protection Scheme (APS) in the Libraries. These are dated 2 and 3 November 2009.
	I have also today placed copies of all legal documentation associated with RBS's participation in the APS in the Libraries, subject only to any necessary redactions to protect commercial interests.

Banks: Loans

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requirements there are on the Bank of England in respect of disclosure of information on loans made in each financial year, with particular reference to the bank's annual report and accounts.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Bank's financial statements for the year ended 28 February 2009 (and in earlier years) state that where the Bank acts a lender of last resort, the financial effects of such operations will be included in the financial statements in the year in which they occur although these financial statements may not explicitly identify the existence of such support. This was the case for the year ending 28 February 2009. The Bank's auditors confirmed that the financial statements for the year were properly prepared in accordance with the stated basis of preparation set out in the notes to the accounts.
	The relevant Bank of England annual report can be accessed via:
	http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/annualreport/index.htm

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter of 9 October 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Waqas Ur Rashid.

Alan Johnson: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 30 November 2009.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter of 5 October 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester Gorton with regard to Mr. Rara Ali Raza.

Alan Johnson: I wrote my right hon. Friend on 30 November 2009.

Departmental Cost Effectiveness

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efficiency savings projects  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies put in place under the Operational Efficiency Programme; on what date each such project was initiated; how much each such project was expected to contribute to departmental savings; how much had been saved through each such project on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The MOD is firmly committed to delivering the recommendations of the Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP). My hon. Friend the Minister for Veterans (Mr. Jones) has been appointed Value for Money (VFM) Minster and is supported by a board composed of the Minister for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform, the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, the second permanent under-secretary and the directors general finance and strategy, ensuring senior ownership for driving efficiency throughout the Department. A single programme has been established to deliver the VFM agenda.
	MOD's response to the OEP was a £450 million increase in its comprehensive spending review 2007 (CSR07) VFM target to a total of £3.15 billion VFM savings by 2010-11. There is no separate OEP target in this spending review period beyond this contribution to the CSR07 £35 billion cross government target.
	By the end of FY 2008-09 MOD had achieved around £650 million VFM savings. An indicative breakdown of the initiatives that make up this figure, along with their anticipated savings by FY 2010-11 are described as follows.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Initiative  VFM savings at end of FY 2008-09  Approximate VFM savings expected by FY  20 10-11 
			 Improvements in corporate enabling services 200 390 
			 Improvements in the way we support defence equipment 70 253 
			 Driving down costs in the nuclear warhead capability sustainment programme 60 178 
			 Savings following a review of Headquarters British Forces Cyprus 3.3 4.3 
			 Drawdown in both military and civilian personnel in Northern Ireland 114 114 
			 Reprioritisation of research programmes 25 25 
			 Over-delivery from SR04 (agreed with HMT) 267 267 
		
	
	Additional VFM savings are being delivered through the Department's planning round, which includes discrete efficiency initiatives and allocative savings, where the Department has chosen to reprioritise its expenditure to ensure its highest priority, delivering success on operations, is supported most effectively. Further progress will be reported in our autumn performance report, which will report VFM savings of around £1.2 billion in the first 18 months of the CSR07 period. We are therefore broadly on track for delivery of the £3.15 billion target.
	Work is also in progress to deliver the specific OEP recommendations, which will contribute to the £9 billion which will be delivered across Government in the next spending review. Progress to date includes:
	An annual benchmarking of Defence (including trading funds) finance, human resource, estates, information technology, and back office costs;
	A review of several MOD assets (the Met Office, the Oil and Pipelines Agency, the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency); and
	Exploration of collaborative procurement opportunities.
	A number of VFM studies to explore further savings within the Department.

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps he has taken to reduce the incidence of anti-Semitism in  (a) football and  (b) other sports; what recent representations he has received on that matter; what recent meetings he has had with the Football Association on that matter; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: While I have received no recent representations or held any recent meetings on the issue of tackling anti-Semitism in sport, I remain fully committed to a sporting landscape free from all forms of discrimination. To this end:
	  (a) Football treats anti-Semitism as it does all forms of racism as an offence under the ground regulations, giving the clubs and Police powers to deal with it should it occur. The Football Association's (FA) close working relationship with the clubs, the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service also ensures that all incidents of discrimination in football are brought to justice. In addition, The FA's anti-Semitism and Islamophobia working group, chaired by my hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann) and established in July 2008, continues to explore the issues and make recommendations to the FA Board. With the Premier League and the Professional Footballer's Association, the FA also provides funding for the "Kick It Out" campaign, which tackles anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination.
	  (b) Other sports that receive Government funding through Sport England and UK Sport do so on the basis of their compliance with the Equality Standard for Sport. The standard forbids discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, colour, religion, disability, age, occupation, religion or political opinion other than that in accordance with legal justification.

Departmental Domestic Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions he visited  (a) Scotland,  (b) Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Jack Straw: I made five official visits in total to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the past 12 months. The dates and reason for travel are listed.
	  (a) Scotland
	16 April 2009
	Regional Cabinet
	  (b) Wales
	3 December 2009 - Speech on the Administration of Justice in Wales
	23 July 2009 - Regional Cabinet
	8 April 2009 - Visit to HMP Cardiff and Cardiff Magistrates' Court
	  (c) Northern Ireland 
	 7 September 2009 - Opening of the Legal Year in Northern Ireland
	All travel was made in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

Females: Prisoners

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he has made in the implementation of the recommendations of the Corston Report on women with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system.

Maria Eagle: The Government are committed to diverting vulnerable women, who are not serious or dangerous offenders, from custody. Our strategy is to strengthen services in the community, tackling the complex needs of women who offend and offering viable alternatives to custody; and to ensure that those who do go to prison are treated in ways that are informed by their needs and are gender sensitive.
	In line with this approach this year we have awarded 31 grants to third sector organisations to develop additional services in the community for women offenders or those at risk of offending. The Together Women Projects will also continue to meet the multiple and complex needs of women in the community.
	Along side this the National Offender Management Service implemented new full search arrangements that take a risk based approach reducing the frequency of full searches. In addition, gender specific standards which ensure an appropriate response to women prisoners were implemented in all women's prisons this year.
	A full progress update will be made to Parliament this December.

Fixed Penalties: Royal Parks

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 241W, on fixed penalties: Richmond Park, what progress has been made on determining a timeframe for implementing regulations to establish fixed penalties for nuisance offences in Richmond Park.

Claire Ward: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 243W, by the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle), the Government have decided not to proceed with proposals to add the regulations which prohibit littering, dog-fouling and illegal cycling in the Royal Parks, to the Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) scheme. Given the range of other disposals available to the police and courts, we have decided not to extend the scheme to any new offences at this time. On 9 November, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Jack Straw) announced a review of the use of out of court disposals including PNDs to look at whether they were being used inappropriately by the police and Crown Prosecution Service.

Homicide: Prisoners Release

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people convicted of murder and subsequently released on compassionate grounds since 1993 have died  (a) within three months of and  (b) more than three months after their date of release.

Maria Eagle: We do not hold this information centrally, to provide this information would require a manual examination of paper records and inquiries with agencies responsible for the prisoners' health and welfare following their release at a disproportionate cost.

Lord Chancellor's Advisory Council

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who the members are of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Council; and what the relevant qualifications are of each of them.

Michael Wills: As of December 2009, the members of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Council on National Records and Archives are:
	  Chairman: Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls
	Ms. Else Churchill, Genealogy Officer of the Society of Genealogists
	Professor Harry Dickinson, Emeritus Professor of British History, University of Edinburgh
	Dr. Jeevan Deol, Affiliated Research Associate, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge
	Right hon. the Viscount De L'Isle MBE, DL. Owner of the De L'Isle and Sidney family papers at the Centre for Kentish Studies and Penshurst Place
	Sir David Durie KCMG, Retired, formerly Governor and Commander in Chief of Gibraltar
	Dr. Clive Field OBE, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, formerly Director of Scholarship and Collections at the British Library
	Ms. Christine Gifford, Information Rights expert and Founding Director of Public Partners and Gifford Owen
	Dr. Jennifer Haynes, Archives and Manuscripts Manager at the Wellcome Library
	Mr. Graeme Herd, Head of Information Technology at Slough Borough Council
	Professor Arthur Lucas CBE, Emeritus Professor of Science Curriculum Studies at, and was formerly Principal of, Kings College London
	Ms Catherine Maxwell Stuart, Owner of the private family and estate archive at Traquair House, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire
	Professor Heidi Mirza, Professor of Equalities Studies in Education at the Institute of Education, University of London
	Professor Michael Moss, Professor of Archival Studies at the University of Glasgow
	Right hon. the Lord Roper, Formerly Chief Whip for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords
	Ms. Janet Smith, County Archivist of Hampshire
	Mr. Ian Soutar, Formerly British Ambassador to Bulgaria and Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva
	Ms. Stephanie Williams, Author, Journalist and user of archives

Prison Accommodation

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of cells in each prison in England and Wales were unoccupied on the most recent dates for which figures are available; and for what reasons such cells are not in use.

Jack Straw: The following table shows the number and proportion of places that constitute each prison's operational capacity that are not being used for the ordinary accommodation of prisoners on 30 October 2009.
	
		
			  Prison name  Places that are not being used  Percentage of places that are not being used 
			 Acklington 6 1 
			 Albany 0 0 
			 Altcourse 38 3 
			 Ashfield(1) 134 34 
			 Ashwell 4 2 
			 Askham Grange 10 8 
			 Aylesbury 7 2 
			 Bedford 17 3 
			 Belmarsh 16 2 
			 Birmingham 12 1 
			 Blantyre House 1 1 
			 Blundeston 12 2 
			 Brinsford 37 7 
			 Bristol 10 2 
			 Brixton 26 3 
			 Bronzefield(2) 23 5 
			 Buckley Hall 4 1 
			 Bullingdon 1 0 
			 Bullwood Hall 3 1 
			 Camp Hill 8 1 
			 Canterbury 6 2 
			 Cardiff 15 2 
			 Castington(1) 70 17 
			 Channings Wood 2 0 
			 Chelmsford 28 4 
			 Coldingley 12 2 
			 Cookham Wood(1) 20 17 
			 Dartmoor 3 0 
			 Deerbolt 19 4 
			 Doncaster 45 4 
			 Dorchester 15 6 
			 Dovegate 0 0 
			 Dover 7 2 
			 Downview 6 2 
			 Drake Hall(2) 36 11 
			 Durham 36 4 
			 East Sutton Park(2) 10 10 
			 Eastwood Park(2) 44 12 
			 Edmunds Hill 9 2 
			 Elmley 2 0 
			 Erlestoke 7 1 
			 Everthorpe 12 2 
			 Exeter 27 5 
			 Featherstone 5 1 
			 Feltham(1) 119 16 
			 Ford 7 1 
			 Forest Bank 7 1 
			 Foston Hall(2) 60 21 
			 Frankland 50 6 
			 Full Sutton 16 3 
			 Garth 14 2 
			 Gartree 2 0 
			 Glen Parva 24 3 
			 Gloucester 4 1 
			 Grendon 6 3 
			 Guys Marsh 3 1 
			 Haslar 18 11 
			 Haverigg 2 0 
			 Hewell 49 3 
			 Highdown 4 0 
			 Highpoint 3 0 
			 Hindley(l) 101 23 
			 Hollesley Bay 3 1 
			 Holloway(2) 59 12 
			 Holme House 10 1 
			 Hull 19 2 
			 Huntercombe(1) 120 33 
			 Kennet 3 1 
			 Kingston 3 2 
			 Kirkham 1 0 
			 Kirklevington 10 4 
			 Lancaster 11 5 
			 Lancaster Farms 9 2 
			 Latchmere House 6 3 
			 Leeds 27 2 
			 Leicester 22 6 
			 Lewes 44 6 
			 Leyhill 15 3 
			 Lincoln 53 7 
			 Lindholme 14 1 
			 Littlehey 15 2 
			 Liverpool 106 7 
			 Long Lartin 3 0 
			 Low Newton(2) 53 16 
			 Lowdham Grange 6 1 
			 Maidstone 0 0 
			 Manchester 22 2 
			 Moorland 22 3 
			 Moorland Open 4 2 
			 Morton Hall 19 5 
			 Mount 4 1 
			 New Hall(2) 82 18 
			 North Sea Camp 7 2 
			 Northallerton(1) 34 13 
			 Norwich 24 3 
			 Nottingham 1 0 
			 Onley 14 2 
			 Parc 13 1 
			 Parkhurst 7 1 
			 Pentonville 96 8 
			 Peterborough 70 7 
			 Portland 22 4 
			 Prescoed 1 1 
			 Preston 116 14 
			 Ranby 10 1 
			 Reading(1) 32 11 
			 Risley 9 1 
			 Rochester 6 1 
			 Rye Hill 12 2 
			 Send 10 4 
			 Shepton Mallet o 0 
			 Shrewsbury 9 3 
			 Spring Hill 16 5 
			 Stafford 2 0 
			 Standford Hill 4 1 
			 Stocken 5 1 
			 Stoke Heath(1) 69 10 
			 Styal(2) 63 14 
			 Sudbury 0 0 
			 Swaleside 0 0 
			 Swansea 0 0 
			 Swinfen Hall 4 1 
			 Thorn Cross 29 9 
			 Usk 1 0 
			 Verne 5 1 
			 Wakefield 8 1 
			 Wandsworth 0 0 
			 Warren Hill(1) 38 17 
			 Wayland 8 1 
			 Wealstun 4 1 
			 Wellingborough 5 1 
			 Werrington(1) 32 20 
			 Wetherby(1) 67 16 
			 Whatton 5 1 
			 Whitemoor 5 1 
			 Winchester 4 1 
			 Wolds 2 1 
			 Woodhill 6 1 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 0 0 
			 Wymott 10 1 
			 Total 2,944 3 
			 (1) Identifies those prisons whose predominant function is to hold juveniles or which hold juveniles (2) Identifies those prisons whose predominant function is to hold female prisoners 
		
	
	The total number of unoccupied places according to the table is approximately 3,000. This represents the difference between the total operational capacity of the estate and the population (at the end of October). In some cases, prisoners will be held in accommodation that does not feature in a prison's operational capacity (for example, are temporarily located in a segregation unit or in the health care centre, units that do not usually feature in operational capacity) or will be on temporary licence. However, these prisoners would ordinarily be accommodated in the general accommodation of the prison and therefore it is appropriate to include them in the calculation. Reductions in operational capacity because accommodation is not available for current use (for example, because of sustained damage, as in the case of HMP Ashwell, or substantial refurbishment programmes) have been discounted.
	The level of unoccupied cells does not reflect the level of free, useable capacity in the estate. Places might be temporarily out of use, for example, where a cell has been damaged or is under going short term maintenance. Some places cannot be used because they are in double cells required for single occupancy following a safety risk assessment. More generally, the demographics of the population mean that it is impossible in practice to make use of every operationally viable place. This is reflected in the operating margin: an allowance of 2,000 places that is removed from total operational capacity figures to provide the estate's useable operational capacity. The above table suggests that there is useable headroom of around 1,000 places in the estate, which is the current difference between useable operational capacity and the population.

Young Offenders: Education

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what language courses are offered to offenders serving custodial sentences.

Maria Eagle: Courses in French, German, Spanish, British Sign Language and English for speakers of other languages are offered through the Learning and Skills Council's Offender Learning and Skills Service to offenders in English Public Sector prisons. During the last 12 months, offenders in custody have studied Open University courses in French, German, Spanish and Italian.
	In Wales, taught courses are available in English Literature and Language, along with Welsh, French and German in some prisons. Self study and distance learning are also available for a variety of languages as requested.
	The central aim of the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) is to improve each offender's chances of gaining sustainable employment, thus contributing to a reduction in re-offending rates. Having the right skills and qualifications has a positive impact on offenders' well-being and ability to adopt a positive role in society. Learning also has an intrinsic value in its own right-and some learning has the effect of stimulating and encouraging participation and further learning. Language teaching and learning has this engaging and progression supporting effect -and in some cases have direct employability impacts.

Caparo Group

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department holds any contracts with any of the companies forming part of the Caparo Group.

Joan Ruddock: The Department of Energy and Climate Change, does not hold any contracts with any of the companies forming part of the Caparo Group.

Coal Authority: Information and Communications Technology

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells of 12 October 2009,  Official Report, columns 459-60W, on departmental ICT, if he will place in the Library a copy of the invitation to tender issued in respect of the Coal Authority's Inferis IT project.

David Kidney: A copy will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Environment Protection: ICT

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the environment of adopting environmentally-friendly ICT policies across all Government departments.

Dawn Butler: I have been asked to reply.
	In September 2009 the Government published "Greening Government ICT-Efficient, Sustainable, Responsible" a one year on progress report which assesses the Government's Green ICT strategy. This was committed to by all Government Departments.
	The report is available at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media270265/1_year_on.pdf

Fuel Poverty: Health

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effects of fuel poverty on health.

David Kidney: The Government recognise the effects of fuel poverty on health and has a strong package of measures to tackle the three root causes; poor energy efficiency, high fuel prices and low household income. It has not carried out a detailed assessment of the impacts of fuel poverty on health,
	Since 2000, over £20 billion has been spent on a range of benefits and programmes to tackle fuel poverty. Improving the energy efficiency of a home is key to assisting those at risk from the cold and the Government have a number of established and new initiatives such as Warm Front, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target and the Community Energy Savings Programme to help. We improve the income of vulnerable households through winter fuel and cold weather payments alongside the wider tax and benefit system and look at ways to cut the cost of energy that is supplied to them through a robust system of regulation aiming to protect all consumers. The recently introduced Energy Bill will set a framework for schemes that will require energy suppliers to provide a specified level of social price support (direct assistance with energy bills) to more of the most vulnerable customers.
	Each year the Department of Health launches its "Keep Warm, Keep Well" campaign, offering important advice to older people on how to stay fit and healthy through the winter. The Department of Health's involvement in four major health related campaigns to target Warm Front grants increased referral numbers over the previous year by around 8 per cent. In addition, their seasonal flu vaccination programme is one of the most successful in Europe.

Renewable Energy: Developing Countries

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in  (a) Bangladesh,  (b) Ethiopia,  (c) India,  (d) Kenya and  (e) Nepal on technology transfer to enable those countries to harness renewable energy and to combat climate change.

Joan Ruddock: The Government are pushing for an ambitious, effective and fair agreement at the 15th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Copenhagen, that will drive the development of climate technologies and their deployment in developing countries.
	Ministers from the Department of Energy and Climate Change have met with Ministers from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya and Nepal at international meetings throughout the last year to discuss these and related issues. The Secretary of State also visited India and Bangladesh in September, to see the impacts of climate change at first hand and meet with counterparts to discuss climate change and renewable energy.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding the Government have provided  (a) as aid and  (b) for reconstruction in Afghanistan in each year since 2007.

Douglas Alexander: Most Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Afghanistan is managed by the Department for International Development (DFID) and used to support the Afghan Government to deliver essential services such as health and education, promote economic growth, address the humanitarian situation, and undertake large infrastructure projects in Helmand province. DFID's budget was £108.9 million in 2007-8, £143 million in 2008-9, and £127.5 million in 2009-10.
	In addition, a proportion of DFID's contributions to multilateral organisations were spent in Afghanistan. £33.1 million was spent this way in 2007-8. Figures for later years are not yet available.
	DFID, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence(MOD) also have access to the Stabilisation Aid Fund (SAF), which seeks to promote political settlement and undertake reconstruction after conflict, particularly in Helmand province. The SAF budget was £28.4 million in 2007-8, £53 million in 2008-9, and £68 million this year.
	Details of Gross Public Expenditure on development are published in "Statistics on International Development" and available online at
	www.dfid.gov.uk

Alternative Curriculum

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps are being taken to ensure that local authorities have information about third sector providers of alternative curriculum provision for excluded children or those at risk of exclusion; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Since the Department published the "Back on Track" White Paper in May 2008, we have carried out a determined programme of work to improve the quality of alternative provision and access to it.
	In October 2008, we published guidance on commissioning alternative provision, covering how local authorities and schools can identify providers able to meet the needs of pupils who require alternative provision. At the same time, we launched an online directory of alternative providers across England which gives local authorities and schools ready access to information on almost 400 providers. The directory has had approximately 29,700 hits between 1 January 2009 and 23 November 2009.
	The Department has also run trade fairs for alternative providers across England, giving them the opportunity to inform potential commissioners of their services. We have also established pilots to explore a range of innovative ways of delivering alternative provision, supported by up to £26.5 million over 2008-11. Of these 12 pilots, nine involve third sector providers.

Departmental Advertising

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department's predecessor spent on advertising in 2006-07; how much his Department has so spent in 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The media total for advertising in 2006-07 was £6,573,885. In 2009-10 so far, the spend to date £4,260,609. This information was attained from the Central Office of Information where the information is centrally held.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what criminal offences have been  (a) abolished and  (b) created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since 1 May 2008.

Diana Johnson: Primary legislation sponsored by the Department for Children, Schools and Families since 1 May 2008 has created and abolished a number of criminal offences. These are detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  Legislative reference  Offence 
			  (a) Criminal offences abolished  
			  Education and Skills Act 2008  
			 Schedule 2 Repeals offence of wilfully obstructing an inspection in section 118 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000. 
			 Schedule 2 Repeals offence of disclosing social security information in section 119 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000. 
			 Schedules 1 and 2 Abolishes the offence in section 159 of the Education Act 2002 of conducting an unregistered independent school in relation to independent schools in England only. 
			 Schedules 1 and 2 Repeals section 162B of the Education Act 2002 (including the offence to intentionally obstruct a person in the exercise of his functions in relation to an inspection under that section). 
			 Schedules 1 and 2 Abolishes the offence in section 164 of the Education Act 2002 of obstructing a person in the exercise of his functions in relation to an inspection under that section (in relation to independent schools in England only). 
			 Schedules 1 and 2 Abolishes the offence in section 165 of the Education Act 2002 of failing to comply with an order under that section in relation to independent schools in England only. 
			 Schedules 1 and 2 Abolishes the offence in section 167 of the Education Act 2002 of failing to comply with an order under that section in relation to independent schools in England only. 
			   
			  Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009  
			 Schedule 16 Repeals offence of disclosing social security information in section 15 of the Education and Skills Act 2008. 
			   
			  (b) Criminal offences created  
			  Children and Young Persons Act 2008  
			 Section 26 Offence of failing to take the steps specified in a compliance notice within the period so specified under section 22A(4) of the Care Standards Act 2000 
			   
			  Education and Skills Act 2008  
			 Section 15 Offence to disclose social security information otherwise than in the circumstances specified in section 15. 
			 Section 51 Offence for a person to fail to comply with the requirements of an attendance notice. 
			 Section 75 Offence for anyone to wilfully obstruct a person in carrying out, or participating in, an inspection of connexions services provided under s68 and 74. 
			 Section 76 Offence to disclose social security information otherwise than in the circumstances specified in that section. (Offence amended by section 254 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009). 
			 Section 90 Offence for a person to disclose information otherwise than for a purpose within sections 87 or 88 where disclosure reveals identity of a person. 
			 Section 96 Offence for a person to conduct an independent educational institution in England unless it is registered. 
			 Section 97 Offence to intentionally obstruct a person in the exercise of the person's functions in relation to an inspection under that section. 
			 Section 110 Offence to intentionally obstruct a person in the exercise of the person's function in relation to an inspection under that section. 
			 Section 118 Failure of a proprietor of an independent educational institution to comply with a relevant restriction imposed by the Secretary of State under section 116. 
			 Section 121 Failure of a proprietor of an independent educational institution to comply with a relevant restriction imposed by an order of a justice of the peace under section 120. 
			 Section 127 Failure of a proprietor of an independent educational institution to comply with a relevant restriction imposed by the Tribunal under sections 124, 125 or 126. 
			   
			  Welfare Reform Act 2009  
			 Schedule 6 Extends section 36 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 regarding the failure to answer any question put by the registrar in relation to the particulars required to be registered, or failure to comply with any requirement of the registrar, to include questions and requirements made by regulations under section 2C, 2D, 2E, 10B or 10C of that Act. 
			 Schedule 6 Refusal or failure (without reasonable excuse) to do anything within a particular time which is required by regulations under section 2C, 2D, 2E, 10B or 10C of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953. 
			 Schedule 6 Extends section 4 of the Perjury Act 1911 regarding the provision of false statements etc. as to births or deaths. 
			   
			  Apprenticeship, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009  
			 Section 199 Inserts Part 3A into the Childcare Act 2006. Offence for a person to intentionally obstruct a person from exercising a power under section 98D. Section 98D provides a power for Chief Inspectors to enter Children's centres. 
			 Section 210 Offence to obstruct a Local Commissioner or those assisting him in the performance of his functions under Chapter 2.

Family and Parent Institute: Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much money his Department and its predecessors have spent on supporting the Family and Parent Institute in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Family and Parenting Institute have a long-standing relationship with the Department. Since 2005, Family and Parenting Institute have received funding support through a strategic grant from The Strengthening Families (SFG) Grant programme (2005/06) and The Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) Grant programme (2006/07 to 2009/10). The CYPF is a national programme to fund work by the third sector to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005/06 783,000 
			 2006/07 850,000 
			 2007/08 935,000 
			 2008/09 1,038,000 
			 2009/10 1,115,000

GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which secondary schools are in each decile of the numbers of students achieving five GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics in the latest period for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The request is essentially for a list of all English secondary schools ordered into deciles. The main way school level information is published is in the secondary school achievement and attainment tables on the Department's website at the following link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables/schools_08.shtml
	A user-friendly excel version of school level data, from which rankings and deciles of all schools can be derived, has also been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	The 2009 secondary school achievement and attainment tables will be published in January 2010.

GCSE

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of 16-year-olds did not achieve five GCSEs at grades A* to C in  (a) England,  (b) the North East and  (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The following table gives the percentage of pupils, in their last year of compulsory education who did not gain five or more A*-C at GCSE and equivalent.
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils( 1)  not gaining five or more A*-C at GCSE and equivalent, 2007/08 
			  Area  Percentage 
			 England and Wales(2) 35.1 
			 England(2) 34.7 
			 North East(3) 33.6 
			 Middlesbrough and South East Cleveland(3) 40.8 
			 (1) In England pupils at the end of key stage 4, in Wales pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year. (2) All schools. (3) Maintained schools only.

Pupil Exclusions

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of children who have been excluded or at risk of exclusion from school who are subsequently classified as not in education, employment or training; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the causes of exclusion of children from school; what recent steps his Department has taken as a consequence of that assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: We accept that a significant minority of excluded pupils can go on to be not in education, employment or training (NEET). We also know that exclusions are now at their lowest ever level since 1997/98, with permanent exclusions dropping 6.4 per cent. between 2006/07 and 2007/08.
	We support heads when taking the tough decision to exclude. It is right that head teachers should use their powers to exclude disruptive pupils when this is in the interests of other pupils. However, our focus must be on preventing bad behaviour from degenerating to the point where exclusion-and particularly permanent exclusion-is necessary.
	Data on school exclusion is collected through the school census and published annually. The latest data was published as SFR 18/2009 "Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England 2007/08" which can be accessed at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000860/index.shtml.
	Table 9 gives a breakdown of the reasons for exclusion. Persistent disruptive behaviour was the most common reason for exclusion, representing 30.9 per cent. of permanent exclusion and 23.2 per cent. of fixed period exclusion.
	Good behaviour is fundamental to school standards, and Ofsted recently reported (24 November) that 80 per cent. of secondary schools are good or outstanding on behaviour, up from 72 per cent. in 2007/08. In September my Department launched a Behaviour Challenge with an ambition that, by 2012, all schools will have a good or outstanding Ofsted rating on behaviour or be on track to achieve one. Support and challenge will be provided to schools through local authorities, the National Strategies, and School Improvement Partners. We have also asked National Strategies colleagues to support local authorities with high exclusion rates, and high rates of multiple fixed period exclusion, to help their schools increase the use of early intervention to improve behaviour and minimise the need for exclusion.
	We are making all 16 and 17-year-olds an offer of suitable place in learning through the September Guarantee. My Department has asked local authorities to focus in particular on those who are disengaged from education or missing school. The 14-19 curriculum reforms are creating a range of different learning opportunities suit all young people, including those who need help to re-engage in learning. Connexions services provide tailored support and advice, both on accessing education, employment or training, and on personal issues.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 18 November plans to extend the guarantee to any 16 and 17-year-old who is not in education, employment or training (NEET) in January. This will give those who were not ready to engage in learning in September, or who have since left, a further opportunity to get the skills they need to succeed.
	The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act, 2009 introduced tough statutory disciplinary powers to strengthen teachers' rights to punish bad behaviour in and out of the classroom. These include a strong statutory power to punish pupils in school and en route to and from school; a statutory power to reasonably confiscate mobiles or music players used disruptively; and reaffirming powers to use physical force to break up fights and restrain pupils. The Act also introduced a duty for schools to work together in partnership to improve behaviour and reduce absence.

Pupil Exclusions

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average length of a fixed-period exclusion for pupils from  (a) primary,  (b) secondary and  (c) all schools was in the last 12 months.

Diana Johnson: The latest available data on the average length of fixed period exclusions for the 2007/08 academic year are published at
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000860/index.shtml
	Table 5. Data for 2008/09 are expected to be published in July

Secondary Education: Outdoor Education

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what research his Department has undertaken into a link between the uptake of fieldwork in secondary schools and the number of post-16 students taking science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to increase the uptake of fieldwork by pupils in secondary schools.

Diana Johnson: The Department has not commissioned research to examine the link between take up of fieldwork in secondary schools and the number of post-16 students taking science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects.
	The Government are doing much to increase the take up of fieldwork by pupils in secondary schools. This includes:
	Contracting with the Association for Science Education to run a support programme to improve the use of practical work in science across secondary schools.
	Sending Practical Work in Science booklets all secondary schools which include good examples of fieldwork activity.
	Continuing to fund the National Network of Science Learning Centres to provide continuing professional development opportunities for teachers including those that support the use of fieldwork across all stage of the curriculum.
	Publishing the STEM directory of science enhancement and enrichment activities which lists a vast range of activities, including fieldwork related ones, that schools can access to enliven science teaching and learning.
	Developing online resources and guidance through Government funding for the Action Plan for Geography, which is managed by the Royal Geographical Society and the Geographical Association to help teachers with fieldwork. These are available on the Geography Teaching Today website which includes a virtual fieldwork and local learning centre to help teachers make the most of geography in their local areas. This includes expert advice and planning on embedding fieldwork in the curriculum.
	The Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto which was launched in November 2006 and aims to provide all young people with quality learning experiences outside the classroom covering the whole curriculum. This is made explicit in the new secondary curriculum which also provides that practical and enquiry skills are something that pupils need to learn to make progress in their science and geography learning.

Teachers: Training

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of schools funding which is retained by schools for the professional development of teachers.

Vernon Coaker: Funding for the continual professional development (CPD) of teachers is included within school's delegated budgets for the whole work force. It is for schools to determine how to spend this based on individual teacher needs, identified and agreed through the performance management process, and the school's own development/improvement priorities.
	However, Section 52 outturn data-which are the Department's source of information on expenditure across all local authority maintained schools-suggests that in the financial year 2007-08 maintained schools in England spent £180 million from delegated budgets on development and training for staff in schools; representing around 0.5 per cent. of total expenditure in schools. This includes expenditure on:
	development and training costs for all staff (directly and not directly employed) at the school;
	cost of all in-service training courses and other development opportunities; and
	cost of equipment and resources to provide in service training.

Teenage Pregnancy

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many girls aged 13 to 17 years became pregnant in each local authority area in 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: The latest (2007) data for each top-tier local authority is available on the 'Every Child Matters' website at the following link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/healthandwellbeing/teenagepregnancy/statistics/
	This provides the number and rate of conceptions and the proportion of conceptions that resulted in an abortion. The final column also shows the percentage change in the local conception rate between 1998 (the baseline year for the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy) and 2007.
	At a national level, there has been a 10.5 per cent. fall in the teenage conception rate over this period. Within this decline in teenage conceptions overall, there has been a 23.3 per cent. decline in teenage births.
	Although annual data for 2008 are not yet available, ONS has published quarterly conception data for the first three quarters of 2008. This shows a further reduction in the under 18 conception rate in each quarter compared to the corresponding quarters in 2007.

Youth Services: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the  (a) net expenditure on youth services,  (b) local education authority net expenditure on youth services and  (c) per pupil average spend on youth services or nearest equivalent was in each London borough in 1999-2000.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government do not set a budget for spending on youth services. Local authorities decide what should be the expenditure, taking into account Government policy and local needs. The following table shows, for each London borough, the net expenditure and the net revenue expenditure on youth services and the revenue expenditure per head of the 14 to 19-year-old population in 1999-2000.
	
		
			  The Education (Outturn Statements) (England) Regulations  LA based net expenditure on youth services( 1)  per head of population (aged 14-19)( 2)  in 1999-2000 
			   Net current expenditure on youth services  Net revenue expenditure on youth services  Average expenditure per head of population (aged 14-19) 
			  Inner London
			 Camden 2,543,041 2,298,352 193 
			 City of London 222,581 190,585 727 
			 Hackney 1,660,942 0 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,519,453 981,300 121 
			 Haringey 1,290,145 1,464,000 96 
			 Islington 5,302,881 5,260,553 474 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,920,969 3,860,332 586 
			 Lambeth 1,835,227 1,521,800 92 
			 Lewisham 2,199,248 2,612,320 152 
			 Newham 1,768,544 1,748,842 80 
			 Southwark 2,517,555 2,064,442 123 
			 Tower Hamlets 3,607,612 3,615,225 218 
			 Wandsworth 2,802,407 0 0 
			 Westminster 1,808,324 1,802,335 187 
			 
			  Outer London
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,171,925 1,003,385 80 
			 Barnet 2,384,896 2,241,366 104 
			 Bexley 1,619,046 1,464,000 95 
			 Brent 2,226,000 2,208,000 112 
			 Bromley 1,165,922 1,133,371 61 
			 Croydon 2,074,000 2,279,962 94 
			 Ealing 1,178,544 1,005,747 48 
			 Enfield 997,018 943,134 48 
			 Greenwich 2,465,916 2,144,484 133 
			 Harrow 768,621 698,363 43 
			 Havering 1,348,459 1,284,242 79 
			 Hillingdon 1,467,117 1,408,104 81 
			 Hounslow 940,142 760,676 48 
			 Kingston upon Thames 633,768 697 0 
			 Merton 728,924 550,609 49 
			 Redbridge 1,502,790 1,382,162 77 
			 Richmond upon Thames 706,826 702,730 72 
			 Sutton 1,134,353 1,326,480 110 
			 Waltham Forest 1,985,532 1,856,734 115 
			  Notes: 1. Youth service expenditure includes the following items: employees; staff training; premises-related expenditure; transport related expenditure; supplies and services; third party payments; support services; youth work costs at residential and non-residential youth centres; youth work costs at activity at outdoor and urban studies centres; grant funding to the voluntary sector for youth work. 2. Population of 14 to 19-year-olds is based on ONS mid-year estimates for each local authority. A weighting of 3/4-1/4 has been given to the 2007 and 2008 figures in order to give an estimate for the financial year. 3. Data are provided as reported by the Las in the 1999-2000 outturn exercise. Values of zero for Wandsworth and Hackney LA may be because of discrepancies in the data and this should be acknowledged in any further use of the data. All data matches that published for the 1999-2000 outturn exercise.  Source: Data are taken from the 1999-2000 outturn exercise

Care Homes: Patients' Rights

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding under the Dignity in Care Campaign each local authority has received; which care homes in each local authority area were awarded extra funding from this allocation to improve dignity; how much each such home received; what the funding was proposed to be used for in each case; and what monitoring was undertaken to ensure the funding was spent on the objectives of the campaign.

Phil Hope: As part of the Dignity in Care Campaign, local authorities received a £67.725 million capital grant for improving the care home environment for older people in 2007-08. Local Authority Circular (2006) 16 set out how this one-off capital grant was to be allocated and provided conditions for its use. A copy has been placed in the Library.
	The grant was made available to local authorities, for distribution to homes with whom they hold a contract, and in which a majority of patients are over 65 years of age. All arrangements for publicising the grant, deciding how to allocate the money and informing applicants of the outcome were made locally.
	Requests for information on homes benefiting from these grants should be made to the relevant local authorities. Detailed information is not held centrally by the Department.

Forensic Science: Offences Against Children

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what clinical and governance standards apply to health facilities used to obtain forensic evidence from children subject to sexual assault in order to assist in the potential prosecution of criminal offences.

Ann Keen: Governance arrangements for health facilities used to obtain forensic evidence from children subject to sexual assault will be for local determination and should be in keeping with national guidance on safeguarding children.
	The Department of Health, Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers published joint guidance in October 2009 which sets out the minimum elements essential for providing high quality Sexual Assault Referral Centres for adults and children who are victims of sexual assault. This covers forensic medical examination.
	Clinical standards, 'Physical Signs of Child Sexual Abuse-An Evidence Based Review and Guidance for Best Practice', was published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in March 2008. The standards describe physical signs of sexual abuse, the strength of evidence of those signs being due to sexual abuse and issues for clinical practice. Good practice in history taking, obtaining consent, examination technique, photo documentation, forensic sampling and testing for sexually transmitted diseases is described.
	In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published clinical guidelines in July 2009 on how to recognise child maltreatment which includes how to recognise signs of sexual abuse.

Health Professions: Manpower

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) GPs,  (b) dentists,  (c) optometrists and  (d) pharmacies there were in each region in each of the last two years; and how many this equated to per 100,000 resident population in each category.

Ann Keen: The numbers of general practitioners (GPs) per 100,000 resident population are available as at 30 September 2007 and 2008, for England and by strategic health authority (SHA) and primary care trust (PCT).
	Data as at 30 September 2007 are available in the 'General and Personal Medical Services. Detailed Results' report. This report, published on 14 March 2008, has been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/workforce/nhs-staff-numbers/nhs-staff-1997--2007-general-practice
	Data are contained in the table 'Selected Statistics by Primary Care Trusts: England':
	www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/nhsstaff2007/gp/PCT%20Level.xls
	Data as at 30 September 2008 are available in the 'General and Personal Medical Services. Detailed Results'. Data are contained in the table 'Selected Statistics by Primary Care Trusts: England'. This report, published on 25 March 2009, has been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/workforce/nhs-staff-numbers/nhs-staff-1998--2008-general-practice
	Data are contained in the table 'Selected Statistics by Primary Care Trusts: England':
	www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/nhsstaff2008/gp/2008%20Detailed%20Results%20Final.xls
	The numbers of dentists with NHS activity per 100,000 resident population during the years ending 31 March 2008 and 2009 are available in Table G1 of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2008-09 report. Information is provided for England and by SHA and PCT. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. This report, published on 19 August 2009, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0809
	The numbers of optometrists per 100,000 resident population as at 31 December 2007 and 2008 are available for England and by SHA and PCT in Table CI (2007) and Table C2 (2008) of Annex 4 of the 'General Ophthalmic Services: Workforce Statistics for England and Wales, 31 December 2008' report.
	This report, published on 21 May 2009, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/eye-care/general-ophthalmic-services:-workforce-statistics-for-england-and-wales-31-december-2008
	The number of pharmacies per 100,000 resident population as at 31 March 2008 and 2009 are available for England and by SHA and PCT.
	Data as at 31 March 2008 are available in the PCT Level Appendix of the 'General Pharmaceutical Services in England and Wales 1998-99 to 2007-08' report. This report, published on 25 November 2008, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/pharmacies/general-pharmaceutical-services-in-england-and-wales-1998-99-to-2007-08
	Data as at 31 March 2009 are available in the PCT Level Appendix of the 'General Pharmaceutical Services in England 1999-00 to 2008-09' report. This report, published on 24 November 2009, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/pharmacies/general-pharmaceutical-services-in-england-1999-2000-to-2008-09
	Data on the numbers of pharmacists working within the pharmacies are not collected by the NHS Information Centre and therefore is not available centrally.

NHS: Essex

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when  (a) Basildon and Thurrock NHS Foundation Trust and  (b) Colchester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust received visits from (i) the East of England strategic health authority, (ii) the Health Protection Agency, (iii) the NHS Patient Safety Agency, (iv) the Care Quality Commission, (v) Monitor, (vi) the Health and Safety Executive and (vii) the NHS Litigation Authority in the last 12 months.

Mike O'Brien: The chairman of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) will write to the hon. Member with the information you requested, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library.

Palliative Care

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition his Department uses of  (a) palliative and  (b) end of life care.

Phil Hope: The Department uses the following definitions, based on those used by the World Health Organisation and the National Council for Palliative Care:
	Palliative care is the active holistic care of patients with advanced progressive illness, focusing on the management of pain and other symptoms and the provision of psychological, social and spiritual care; and
	End of life care is care that helps all those with advanced, progressive, incurable illness to live as well as possible until they die. It enables the supportive and palliative care needs of both patients and family to be identified and met throughout the last phase of life and into bereavement. It includes management of pain and other symptoms and provision of psychological, social, spiritual and practical support.

Selly Oak Hospital

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) patients and  (b) military personnel have been treated for noise-induced hearing loss at Selly Oak Hospital in the last five years.

Phil Hope: No patients or military personnel have been admitted to Selly Oak Hospital with noise effects on the inner ear, which includes but is not limited to noise-induced hearing loss, as a primary or secondary diagnosis in the last five years (2004-05 to 2008-09). Data for the number of outpatients treated for noise effects on the inner ear is not collected centrally.

Social Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the answer of 12 October 2009,  Official Report, column 702W, on departmental publications, if he will publish each detailed model for the proposals outlined in the Green Paper, "Shaping the Future of Care Together" apart from that relating to the provision of free personal homecare to certain users;
	(2)  for what reason he did not publish the economic modelling for the "Shaping the Future of Care Together" consultation before the consultation was concluded.

Phil Hope: The Department is working towards publishing a White Paper on care and support in early 2010. We have been working with the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) to provide the modelling and analysis to underpin our policy development. We were provided with an interim report from PSSRU in November but that was based on a view of the system when the Green Paper was published. Our core modelling assumptions have changed quite significantly since then as a result of our stakeholder engagement, responses to our consultation and developments such as the Prime Minister's announcement on free personal care. The report is therefore only part of the story and we have come to the conclusion that to publish it now could be unhelpful to the wider debate on the future of care and support.
	The whole methodology of the interim report was published in July on the PSSRU's website at:
	http://www.pssru.ac.uk/pdf/dp2644.pdf
	The top level costs and benefits are in the impact assessment published with the Green Paper and available on the Big Care Debate website at:
	http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/greenpaper/the-green-paper-and-supporting-documents/
	PSSRU continue to model the costs and benefits of a new National Care Service based on revised assumptions.

Swine Flu: Vaccination

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the adequacy of supplies of the H1N1 vaccine to GP practices in order to meet the initial prioritisation of at-risk groups.

Gillian Merron: The Department has been monitoring the supply of swine flu vaccines to the national health service very closely and is in regular contact with the vaccine manufacturers and distributor.
	As of 2 December 2009, 14.9 million doses of Pandemrix had been received in the United Kingdom, which was sufficient for all of the initial high-risk priority groups. An initial distribution of 500 doses of Pandemrix to every general practitioner (GP) practice in England was completed by 13 November 2009. From 12 November 2009 primary care trusts (PCTs) have been able to order additional supplies of vaccine for their GPs by using the Department's on-line ordering system.
	While the timing of our overall delivery schedule has been reliant on predicted supplies from the manufacturer, we have taken action to ensure that supplies are pushed out to the national health service as fast as possible.

Departmental Telephone Services

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will assess the merits of introducing an automatic call-back request feature for callers to her Department's telephone helplines to minimise the cost to callers.

Jim Knight: holding answer 24 November 2009
	Where a customer calling the Department for Work and Pensions' 0800 or 0845 services asks us, or raises concerns over the cost of the call, we will offer to call them back. In addition to this, Jobcentre Plus has recently introduced a further improvement in customer service for customers calling their 0800 and 0845 benefit enquiry numbers from mobile phones. From October 2009, all customers calling these numbers from a mobile phone are now automatically offered a call-back.
	The Department has also asked our telephony provider to investigate how we might employ automated interventions that allow customers to leave call-back numbers without waiting for connection to an agent. Potential solutions may involve either saving a customer's place in line or scheduling a call-back time convenient to each customer.

Jobcentre Plus

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of days were lost through sickness absence of Jobcentre Plus staff in each  (a) region and  (b) country of the UK in each of the last three years; what the rate of (i) early retirement and (ii) resignation on grounds of stress and ill health was amongst Jobcentre Plus staff in each (A) region and (B) country of the UK in each of the last three years; and what the rate of staff turnover was in Jobcentre Plus in each (1) region and (2) country of the UK in (y) 2007-08 and (z) 2008-09.

Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	  Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what percentage of days were lost through sickness absence of Jobcentre Plus staff in each a) region and b) country of the UK in each of the last three years; what the rate of a) early retirement and b) resignation on grounds of stress and ill health was amongst Jobcentre Plus staff in each a) region and b) country of the UK in each of the last three years; and what the rate of staff turnover was in Jobcentre Plus in each a) region and b) country of the UK in i) 2007/08 and ii) 2008/09. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The table in the following annex provides details by region/country of the percentage of days lost as a result of sick absence in Jobcentre Plus. This sets out the position for 2008/09 and the latest point we have information for, i.e. the 12 month period from November 2008 to October 2009. Unfortunately, we do not hold any earlier information covering working days available and working days lost for each region/country to calculate percentage absence rates. Jobcentre Plus reports its attendance management performance in terms of average working days lost and those are the details we retain to monitor progress.
	We do not have details of resignations that arose due to stress or ill health. However, we do maintain details of numbers of ill health retirements. These are contained in the following annex for each of the last three years. The figures comprise all ill health retirement cases that arose in Jobcentre Plus during the period in question.
	Details of staff turnover for 2007/08 and 2008/09 are set out in the table in the annex.
	 Annex
	
		
			  Percentage rate of sick absence in jobcentre plus 
			   Percentage absence rate 
			  Region/country  12 months to  March 2009  12 months to  October 2009 
			 East Midlands 3.9 4.0 
			 East of England 4.0 3.7 
			 London 4.5 4.0 
			 North East 4.1 3.8 
			 North West 4.4 4.1 
			 Scotland 4.0 3.6 
			 South East 4.2 3.9 
			 South West 4.0 3.8 
			 Wales 4.3 4.0 
			 West Midlands 4.2 4.0 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 3.5 3.3 
			  Note: Sickness absence levels are reported on an average working days lost basis.  Source: BOXI Management Information Portal 
		
	
	
		
			  Ill health retirements in jobcentre plus 
			  Region/country  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 East Midlands 7 3 6 
			 East of England 6 4 6 
			 London 13 4 5 
			 North East 11 12 15 
			 North West 14 11 13 
			 Scotland 7 6 4 
			 South East 12 3 7 
			 South West 3 5 11 
			 Wales 5 3 7 
			 West Midlands 15 9 13 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 14 3 3 
			  Note: Data relates to the 12 month period to March for each of the years.  Source: Dataview, extracted from Resource Management 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage rate of staff turnover in jobcentre plus 
			  Region/country  2007-08  2008-09 
			 East Midlands 5.3 5.7 
			 East of England 4.2 4.6 
			 London 3.3 3.6 
			 North East 4.3 4.2 
			 North West 4.9 4.6 
			 Scotland 4.8 4.9 
			 South East 4.3 4.1 
			 South West 6.9 7.1 
			 Wales 4.9 4.7 
			 West Midlands 4.9 4.9 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 4.7 5.0 
			  Note: Data relates to the 12 month period to March for each of the years.  Source: Dataview, extracted from Resource Management

Unemployment: Young People

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to reduce the level of youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We have launched a number of targeted initiatives to tackle youth unemployment.
	From next month, the young person's guarantee will ensure all 18 to 24-year-olds on JSA will be guaranteed either the offer of a job, work-focused training or meaningful activity. They will then be required to take up one of these opportunities.
	The Future Jobs Fund will create 150,000 jobs. Around 95,000 jobs have already been approved and some have already started.
	But Government can not prevent youth unemployment on our own. That is why we launched backing Young Britain and I am delighted to report that as a result over 330 employers are already pledging new opportunities for young people.